posted on August 18, 2004 02:43:34 PM
August 18, 2004 --
WASHINGTON — Vietnam veterans opposing John Kerry have scored a hit with a tough TV ad that claims he lied about his war record — it makes swing voters think twice about backing Kerry, an independent study has found.
The ad planted doubts in the minds of 27 percent of independent voters who planned to vote for Kerry or leaned pro-Kerry. After seeing it, they were no longer sure they'd back him, the study found.
At issue is the ad run by an independently funded group known as Swift Veterans for Truth, which features 14 veterans who served in Vietnam along with Kerry as they accuse him of lying about his war record.
"The whole goal of a negative ad is to plant a seed of doubt — and it did," said Professor Chris Borrick of Muhlenberg College, who did the ad study with the firm HCD Research.
"Obviously, the Swift Boat Veterans' intent was to publicly question Kerry's war record, and it looks like they succeeded," said HCD chief Glenn Kessler, who added that viewers found the 60-second ad more believable as it went on.
Kessler, who wasn't paid by anyone for the analysis, said he leans Democratic.
The Swift Vets study used 1,275 participants, including 371 independents, who watched ads and registered their reaction at every second using technology normally used to rate product ads. Half viewed the Swift Vets ad and the other half saw a pro-Kerry ad based on his convention speech, which was rated less persuasive.
HCD is also completing a study of a counter-ad by the liberal group MoveOn.org that questions President Bush's military record — it appears far less effective in raising doubts among pro-Bush swing voters.
Kerry yesterday issued a statement condemning MoveOn's anti-Bush ad as "inappropriate" after Sen. John McCain blasted it — but a key Kerry ally, retired Gen. Wesley Clark, echoed the MoveOn charges that Bush ducked combat duty.
One of the anti-Kerry vets, John O'Neill, wrote the best seller "Unfit for Command," which lambastes Kerry as a cowardly liar and says his claim to have spent Christmas 1968 on a covert mission to Cambodia was a lie.
The Kerry camp is now hedging on that claim, which Kerry once told the Senate was "seared" into his memory ever since President Richard Nixon falsely claimed there were no U.S. troops in Cambodia. In fact, Nixon wasn't yet president.
The Democrat's team yesterday held a press conference of pro-Kerry vets, but none of his crewmates was able to validate his Christmas-in-Cambodia claim.
posted on August 18, 2004 02:49:46 PM
If I had spent Christmas in Cambodia, (mosquitoes, unbearable heat, godknowswhat in the water) it would probably be seared in my memory.....Yuck!
posted on August 18, 2004 03:03:11 PM
Bear1949, Is that way more military families are now going to vote of Kerry than Bush? Ha Ha, its very funny watching you spread horse manure. Your so good at it you should have been a farmer. Go back to your bunker and peer out the narrow gun holes at your narrow world.
POSTED ON AOL JUST THIS MORNING.
NEW POLES SHOW MORE MILITARY FAMILIES ARE NOW VOTING FOR KERRY THAN BUSH.
posted on August 18, 2004 07:43:30 PM
Glad to hear this, bear. Just goes to show that the dems rehashing President Bush's honorable discharge isn't getting them any where....but the Swift Boat Vets ad is.
[huge smile here]
And I just love the fact that McCain spoke out against the moveon.org ads against this President's honorable service. Kind of poked a hole in the dems bragging about McCain's words about the Swiftboat vets ad.....now they can clearly see he just doesn't want it done by either side.
But hey....kerry hasn't been calling back all the remarks, insults, etc. that Soro's been paying for...or moveon...or that other group whose name escapes me at the moment...nor the statements kerry himself has made.
It's like now....MONTHS down the road...when the 'heat' is being put on kerry's truthfulness [or I should say LACK of truthfulness] ...NOW he wants all these ads to stop. Now that they've done all the damage they can do to President Bush....
posted on August 18, 2004 08:19:22 PM
Linda_K, The 4 people that are hurting Bush the most is Kerry,Edwards,Bush HIMSELF and Cheney. Republicans are spending millions on manure ads and Kerry and Edwards are picking more votes everyday.
HELP AND HOPE IS ON THE WAY. KERRY AND EDWARDS WILL CLEAN UP THE BUSH CHENEY MESS.
ALMOST 950 DEAD AMERICAN TROOPS AND OVER 6,000 WOUNDED. STILL COUNTING WITH NO END IN SIGHT!!!!!!
posted on August 18, 2004 11:49:12 PM
Military Documents Contradict Kerry Critic
Updated 12:50 AM ET August 19, 2004
WASHINGTON (AP) - Military records appear to contradict claims by a vocal critic of Sen. John Kerry that the Democratic presidential candidate lied about coming under gunfire during a mission in Vietnam, according to The Washington Post.
The newly obtained records of Larry Thurlow show that he, like Kerry, won a Bronze Star for the same engagement and that Thurlow's citation said he came under "constant small arms fire," the newspaper reported Thursday.
Thurlow, also like Kerry, commanded a Navy Swift boat during the war. Thurlow swore in an affidavit last month that Kerry was "not under fire" when he rescued Lt. James Rassmann from the Bay Hap River.
Thurlow's records, obtained by the Post under the Freedom of Information Act, include references to "enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire" directed at all five boats in the flotilla that day. In Bronze Star citation, Thurlow is praised for helping a damaged Swift boat "despite enemy bullets flying about him."
Thurlow is a leading member of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a public advocacy group of Vietnam veterans who have aired a television advertisement attacking Kerry's war record.
Kerry has described how his boat came under fire from the river banks after a mine explosion disabled another U.S. Swift boat. Kerry and members of his crew say the firing continued as Kerry leaned over to fish out Rassman, who was blown overboard in another explosion.
Thurlow described Kerry's Bronze Star citation as "totally fabricated," saying "I never heard a shot."
Thurlow, a registered Republican, said he's angry with Kerry for his antiwar activities after his return to the United States, especially his claim that U.S. troops committed war crimes with the knowledge of their officers up the chain of command.
Thurlow told the Post that he got the award for helping to rescue the boat that was mined.
"This casts doubt on anybody's awards," he said. "It is sickening and disgusting."
He said he believed his award would be fraudulent if it was based on coming under enemy fire.
"We weren't under fire," he insisted.
Thurlow said he lost his Bronze Star citation more than 20 years ago. He said he would not authorize release of his military records because he feared the Kerry campaign would discredit him.
Members of Kerry's crew have said Kerry is telling the truth. Rassman said he has vivid memories of enemies firing at him from both banks.
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
